


"I'd Hold Onto Something If I Were You"

by Vasser



Series: 410 Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Anger, Angst, Fluff, Flying, Heartbreak, Lovers To Enemies, M/M, Pre-Canon, handjob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:34:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27287257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vasser/pseuds/Vasser
Summary: Rhysand reflects on a beautiful memory of showing Tamlin the view from up in the sky. It was a beautiful memory. It hurt that things would never be that way again...
Relationships: Rhysand/Tamlin (ACoTaR)
Series: 410 Tumblr Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990681
Kudos: 10





	"I'd Hold Onto Something If I Were You"

Rhys had been enamoured with Tamlin ever since he first met him. Tamlin was different from his father and brother; more honest, more wise, more kind. The Night Court heir appreciated that about him. He never had to worry about the blonde fae being influenced by politics due to his older brothers being the ones who would likely inherit the High Lord title. 

Maybe he was young and foolish for thinking like this, but he honestly believed he had found love. Somewhere deep in his bones Rhysand hoped that a mating bond would snap into place between him and Tamlin, even though he knew it was improbable.

The child of night felt the same strong emotions now as the child of spring finally came into view on the hill. Today would be a wonderful day, because after Tamlin's curiosity and begging he had asked Rhys to show him what it was like to fly.

His mother had warned him never to show his wings to anyone, to keep them hidden because they were so sensitive, but he trusted his dear friend to keep his secret.

"Good afternoon, Tamlin," he drawled smoothly as the younger fae pulled him into a tight embrace. How unusual for Tamlin to be affectionate so quickly. Something was off here, and his secret lover's face revealed awful emotions Rhys never wanted the other to feel. "It's your father again, isn't it? What-"

"It's not. It's Beron," he admitted with an irritated sigh. That took Rhys by surprise, although he knew that Tamlin's newly formed friendship with Lucien Vanserra meant that the High Lord of the Autumn Court had more opportunity to royally piss Tamlin off. 

Admittedly, Rhys felt bad for Lucien. He didn't know him well, but he did pity him. The cruelty of the Vanserra family was well-known, and Rhys had a personal vendetta against Eris in particular after the incident with Mor not too long ago. The youngest son of the Autumn Court had to live with those monsters under reportedly abysmal treatment. 

"One day, Tam, Beron will not be around anymore. That will be centuries down the line, of course, but like all things he will one day come to an end," he whispered soothingly into his lover's ear, stroking a hand up and down Tamlin's toned back. "No matter what he likes to think he is no more powerful than you or me. He isn't superior in any way."

The blonde seemed to relax into Rhys' hold more at the utterance, as if the reminder that Beron was only fae did indeed help to calm him. Now he just needed to finish bringing a smile back to the younger fae's face.

Finally, he revealed his wings to his lover once more, and the way Tamlin marvelled at the sight and structure of them brought a rare blush to his tanned face. The Spring Court child obviously remembered what Rhys had told him about the sensitivity of Illyrian wings because though he was enamoured he never reached out to touch.

A smile lit up Rhysand's face as he linked his arm with Tamlin's. 

"Would you like to shapeshift and make wings of your own? Or would you like me to carry you?"

Tamlin only considered for a second before answering with his usual handsome smile.

"Just carry me, I imagine that would be much faster than trying to teach me to fly the way you do," he stated casually as he dropped a kiss to the top of Rhys's head. The spring child didn't need to add that he just wanted to be in Rhys' comforting hold for a little while. Cauldron, he loved Tamlin, he really did. He would do anything for him...

Scooping the blonde up bridal style, Rhys gave him a charismatic cheeky grin. Tamlin rolled his green eyes simply before swatting the older fae's shoulder. He muttered something about Rhys needing to get over himself.

"I'd hold onto something if I were you," the violet-eyed male warned teasingly. "My arm, my shirt... Anything. I like to go fast."

As soon as Tamlin's hands were tightly gripping Rhys' shirt he took off into the air, wings spreading out before starting to flap. Ascending further and further into the air, the heir to the Night Court was focusing wholly on keeping his lover safe as they rose.

An amazed gasp sounded near Rhys' chest as Tamlin at last started to see a birdseye view of the Spring Court lands. Bright bursts of colour were prominent where patches of wildflowers grew on the land, and the High Lord's manor looked as small as a hut from this far up in the air. Rhysand was used to it but this was the first time his green-eyed lover was seeing this view; it must be magical...

"It's so different," Tamlin finally breathed out in awe, unable to tear his eyes away from his father's territory. "Everything looks so different from up here, it's beautiful."

Yes, Rhys supposed it really was beautiful. His lover finally had a smile of pure joy painting his face, and it knocked the air out of Rhysand's very lungs. 

"It's romantic," the spring child continued suddenly as he finally turned to look at his violet-eyed partner, reaching a hand up to run it through Rhys' hair. An extreme gesture of trust. He completely let go of the older male's shirt and trusted him not to let him fall to his death. Every time Tamlin showed him this trust and love it made him bizarrely emotional.

"You're so beautiful when you're happy, Tam. You're so-"

"Rhys, you're getting emotional again."

Another blush came to the half-Illyrian's cheeks, the second of the day. Peculiar. 

"Let me show my gratitude for showing me something so wonderful, Rhys," Tamlin growled out seductively, the atmosphere shifting around them as a sexual tension built. He knew exactly what his lover was going to do, the blonde was always so good at handjobs... "I would say I'd hold onto something if I were you, but that isn't really an option with how high above everything we are."

A smirk took over Tamlin's face as he took on a devilishly handsome quality. Mother save him, this was both the spring child's best and worst side. There was nothing more divine and nothing more cruel than when his blonde love started to flirt and tease and touch. He couldn't help but groan in anticipation.

"Fuck, Tam, we're so far up," Rhys gasped out as he tried to get a grip when Tamlin started to palm his cock through his pant. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

He merely shushed Rhys as he fiddled with the cords and finally freed the Night Court male's length, exposing it to the freezing temperatures of high-altitude air. A pleasant shudder travelled up his spine as he tightened his grip on Tamlin. He had to keep him secure and safe, he wasn't even holding on to the dark-haired man anymore. What trust...

"For someone who protested you seem into it."

He couldn't deny that, and he finally lost himself into the sensations as Tamlin wrapped a hand around his cock.

\----

Two years later Rhysand and Tamlin were meeting on the same hill, and the air around them was tense for a different reason. As he reflected on that memory Rhys considered what the green-eyed fae had done. 

He had known. That self-righteous prick had known how sensitive Illyrian wings were, and he had know how much Rhys' mother and sister meant to him! They had been innocent and kind, and his sister was even younger than Tamlin! It didn't matter to the blonde bastard he supposed. He had gone right ahead and told the High Lord of Spring when the two of them would be alone and vulnerable anyway.

Logically Rhys knew he was to blame as well. In fact, he held the most blame. The half-Illyrian had been the male stupid enough to trust Tamlin. He had been the one so fucking naïve that he had believed Tamlin wouldn't be so self-serving. That shows what he knew, he supposed, because his ex-lover had happily sacrificed the dark-haired male's family to earn some respect from his father.

Prick.

Finally, a familiar shape emerged on the opposite side of the hilltop. Clenching and unclenching his fist at his side was the only thing that stop Rhys from charging forward and beating the betrayer into oblivion.

There was a hostile silence for many minutes as the two stared at each other in an assessing manner, regarding one another as opponents for the first time since they met. After this whole ordeal they could safely say that they had made a lifelong enemy. Tamlin hated Rhys already. Even though it hadn't yet happened the Spring Court male knew just a little too much about Rhysand's family to have any doubt that revenge would be coming.

"Why did you do it?"

The question was laced with pain and heartbreak and anger. Disturbingly, Tamlin didn't seem to have any sort of reaction to the strong emotions in Rhys' voice. He had to wonder how much of the love the blonde showed him was ever real if his pain didn't bother him in the slightest. Emotions weren't that easy to switch off. The new doubt about their terminated relationship stung deeply.

Silence continued to beat around them in the charged air, and it soon enough became obvious that the green-eyed male had no words or answers for the ex-lover he had once treated so kindly. Why had he even agreed to come?

"If I ever see you again I'm going to fucking kill you," Rhys growled out with a faint snarl. Tamlin, to his credit, did flinch. The memory from two years before played on repeat in the violet-eyed male's head as the two foes stared at one another across the hilltop. Maybe it was petty or unreasonable or worthless to do so, but Rhys felt like throwing that memory back in his ex-lover's face.

Spreading his wings widely and flexing the powerful muscles in his arms as he shifted, the Night Court male gave the blonde a dead stare.

"I'd hold onto something if I were you." He repeated the words from that memory in a sickly sweet tone before shooting up into the air, beating his wings so powerfully that the resulting air blast knocked Tamlin onto his ass. "What? I warned you," he stated when Tamlin began to look like he might start a fight before finally flying home, letting himself fall apart alone in the air.


End file.
